Diverging
by trisdivergents
Summary: Hayley is a young girl that opts to leave Erudite for a more exciting, fulfilling life in Dauntless. Her new life proves to be everything she could hope for, including her mysterious leader Eric, who she forms an unlikely relationship with. But rumors of unrest are spreading, threatening the stability of the factions. How long until everything Hayley knows is changed forever?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone! So this is my first actual fanfiction. This is a story I started writing over a year ago and never finished, but I had to come back to it. It follows the books pretty well, with a few differences: it takes place the year before Tris and Caleb choose, and the year after Four and Eric choose, so chronologically: Four/Eric, then Hayley, then Tris/Caleb. Besides that, it's still the real, amazing story that Veronica Roth created! As far as appearances go, everything is based on the movie as it helps me with visualization. This first chapter is pretty short, but it's only the setup! Please feel free to review what you think and stay tuned for the next chapters soon! Thanks!**

Part 1

Chapter 1

Morning. Sunlight streams through the window, covering my face. I blink as I slowly come to. Today is Choosing Day. The day that everything changes; the day I decide my faction and future.

I rise quickly and dress myself- a blue blazer and skirt, typical wear of the Erudite faction. My long brunette hair needs to be out of my face for today, so I fasten it into a bun on the top of my head. I add a touch of makeup, taking a moment to glance at myself in the mirror. My hazel eyes stare back at me, studying myself. I look calm on the outside; collected and together. Funny, because on the inside, I'm screaming. I pull myself away from the mirror and down the stairs. My home is nice, I'm lucky to live where I do. My parents are able to afford such luxuries because of their jobs. They work for the head of our faction, Jeanine Matthews. They sit now in our kitchen, around a table full of breakfast foods. My mother fawns over my two younger twin brothers, while my father scans the front page of the Erudite daily newspaper.

"Hayley!" My mother says, pulling out the chair next to her. "Sit, eat something. You need your strength for today."

She is dressed well, in a smart blue dress and heels. I wonder how she feels about today. I know she couldn't have been nervous the day of her Choosing Ceremony. She is Erudite-born, and Erudite through and through. For her, there was probably no other option.

I obediently sit in the seat, but say nothing, grabbing only toast and an apple to fill myself. My mother continues with my brothers, and my father is too fascinated by a headline to notice that I've even sat down. This is how my life has always been. My family take "Faction before blood" very seriously; they would choose knowledge and education over family any day. I was raised by the principles of intelligence and practicality. And that is why the choice I will make today will be easy. I don't think they know, I think they suspect I'll choose Erudite, that I'm one of those people who would never dream of leaving home. But, then again, they don't really know me.

"Hayley," My father says, finally looking up from his paper. He inspects my empty plate through his glasses. "How are you feeling?"

_Nervous. Terrified. Nauseous. _

"I'm good." I reply, mustering a smile. "I'm fine."

He nods, seeming satisfied enough. I stay silent until my mother puts a hand on my shoulder and quietly tells me it's time to go.

xxx

"Hayley Gilbert." My name is called. I feel the weight of the entire room as I rise slowly. I walk down the steps, to the stage, to the five bowls. Five different possible fates. The knife glistens under the sunlight streaming in through the roof and I pick it up, lightly dragging it across my hand. Hundreds of pairs of eyes are on my back, waiting for me to make my decision. I slowly raise my hand, letting it hover over my five options. I have spent the entire ceremony thinking about my Aptitude Test yesterday, and what the Abnegation volunteer had said to me.

"Your results are Erudite."

I squeeze my hand, and my blood drops into Dauntless.

xxx

"You good?"

The tall boy with sandy blonde hair peers down at me. I was struggling to find my footing after leaping onto the train directly following the Choosing Ceremony, and he reached out and pulled me in. We're both breathing heavily now, and I glance up to meet his bright blue eyes.

"Yeah, I'm totally fine." I smile at him. He's wearing black- Dauntless born. Figures. "Thanks for that."

"No problem," He says, extending his hand. "I'm Asher."

"Hayley." I respond, taking his hand and shaking it. We both look over at another girl he helped in, who managed to jump onto the speeding train at the last possible second. She's dressed in Amity yellow, and her bright blonde hair covers her face, which is covered in sweat.

"What about you?" Asher asks. "You okay?"

"What? Oh, oh yeah... I'm okay. I mean, I'm Sarah." She doesn't extend her hand. Probably because she's bent over catching her breath. She's small and short- good for Amity, but not so ideal for Dauntless. I wonder why she chose to transfer. Then again, I'm not entirely sure why I made the decision either.

"Erudite and Amity," Asher says, observing us and our clothing. He's tall, lean, and has faint freckles scattered across his face. His eyes have a mischievous look to them, as if he finds everything amusing. We stare out of the window in silence for a bit and take in the surroundings rushing past us. The train is taking us out of the inner city, and to the smaller, more decayed buildings surrounding it. In school, we were taught that the war that occurred a century ago caused mass destruction. I've never seen the ruins in person. Erudite doesn't travel out here often, there's no need to. A voice from the front of the train car yells back, breaking us out of the trance.

"Get ready!"

Everyone moves to the side and peers out the window. A tall boy dressed in Candor white accidentally shoves me but ignores his actions. I roll my eyes and look to see what we're getting ready for. There's nothing approaching- no station or platform. Only more buildings. Suddenly I realize what is about to happen, just as the first black figure sails through the air. We jump off the to me, Sarah covers her mouth and squeezes her eyes shut. Asher's entire face breaks into a sideways grin.

"Now we're talking." He says

Our train car approaches the roof quickly. I know I have to jump. If I don't, I'll have failed initiation before it's even begun. Asher grabs my arm with one hand and Sarah's with the other, dragging us to the opposite side of the train car.

"Let's gooooo!" He shouts, and throws his body out of the open door.

_Don't think. Just do it._

And I do the same. I push out of the train with as much force as I can. I'm suspended in mid-air for a moment, then my body crashes into the roof.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is the second chapter to my story! Again, it's a bit slow, as it is still the setup and we all know what happens at the beginning of Dauntless initiation. (: But hey, that means that the real action will start next chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! **

Chapter 2

I tumble onto my side, bracing my body for the inevitable pain to come. It's only then that I realize the roof is made of gravel, and not cement. I barely feel anything. Sarah comes next, screaming at the top of her lungs. She lands beside me, awkwardly on all fours and starts whimpering. I can't help but laugh. A few days ago I was sitting in class, evaluating graphs and conducting science experiments. Today, I jumped out of a moving train. Sarah immediately stops and looks incredulously at me.

"I- I'm sorry," I choke out through giggles. "I just can't believe we actually did that!"

She stares and then begins laughing with me. It's the first time I've seen her smile, and we lay there together for a moment until I stand, brushing myself off. Asher jogs over to Sarah and pulls her up, helping wipe little pieces of gravel off of her long dress.

"That was awesome!" He says, with the same lopsided grin as before. "Hey, wait Sarah don't move. There's a ton of gravel in your hair…"

The rest of the initiates are standing up, stretching, and walking over to an area in the center of the roof. I look around to see what surrounds us and have to shield my eyes against the bright sunlight. Buildings about the same height as the one we stand on stretch on forever, and in the far distance behind us I can see the inner city. I quickly turn around and follow Asher and Sarah over to the group of initiates. I cannot look back. I didn't at the Choosing Ceremony, and I cannot let myself now. As we join the group, I notice a man standing on the ledge that everyone is now facing. Well, maybe not a man. He looks just a little older than me, but his multiple tattoos and large piercing over his eyebrow make him look older than he probably is.

"Hey, listen up!" He shouts. The group of initiates goes silent.

"I'm Eric. I'll be one of your instructors" His eyes scan the crowd. He's tall, with wide shoulders and strong arms that are currently crossed over his chest.

"You've chosen Dauntless. And the way to Dauntless, is down here."

He gestures over his shoulder, to whatever is over the ledge.

"So. Who's first?"

Silence. Everyone looks around, next to them, at the ground, anywhere to avoid Eric's stare.

"You want us to jump?" A boy in front of me asks. I immediately realize it's Miles, a boy from Erudite that I had classes with. What is he doing here? He's Erudite through and through; at least, everyone thought he was.

"Obviously." Eric says shortly.

"Oh... uh... what's at the bottom?" Miles' voice quivers, but he attempts to make it steady. It's not working.

"Guess you'll find out."

There is silence and for a moment, I consider volunteering, until Asher speaks up from next to me.

"I guess I will." He says, stepping towards the ledge. He leans over it first and his expression instantly changes as he lets out a low whistle. Eric jumps down from the ledge and catches my eye. I look for a moment, then quickly look away. He already intimidates me. This whole scare tactic does. But I know there must be something to break our fall at the bottom, they wouldn't kill off every new initiate.

I focus my attention on Asher, who's now climbing on the ledge. He falters a bit in the light breeze, then steadies himself. It only takes a second, then he laughs and jumps off the edge.

"Woooooo!" His voice becomes distant, then stops all together. We all stand in silence until a cheer echoes from the bottom. I let a deep breathe out. I didn't realize I was holding it. Sarah's eyes widen and I'm convinced they'll pop out of her head.

"Who's next?" Eric asks, not even bothering to look back. Nobody makes a move; instead, they all look at each other as if trying to silently force the other to go. I realize that if Asher hadn't volunteered, no one would have.

"I will," I say, stepping forward.

Eric looks directly at me and steps out of the way. He keeps his eyes on me as I pass him and slowly climb on to the edge. When I look down, my heart stops. It's several stories down, and boxed in by the surrounding buildings. At the bottom is a huge hole in a low roof, and shadows cover what lies past the hole. I'm supposed to jump into this? It's doesn't matter. I will be safe. Asher just jumped. Hundreds of initiates have before. I close my eyes and let my body jump off the ledge.

xxx

I don't scream while I fall; I don't make any sound at all. The wind whips around me and I extend my arms out to feel the rush. Then it becomes darker, I go through the hole and land on something. A net. My body bounces up and comes back down, landing softer the second time. I lay there for a moment, staring up at the clear sky and smiling to myself.

"Yeah, Hayley!" I hear Asher's voice echoing from somewhere. There is a tug to my left and then net slopes to the side, taking me with it.

"Here," a male's voice says.

I turn and see the man- or boy?- facing me. He reaches out and grabs my sides, pulling me off the net with ease. He sets me down and I look up at him. He is tall, and definitely handsome. He has brown hair and dark eyes that look down at me.

"Did I hear him call you Hayley?" He asks. I nod.

"Are you gonna stick with that?" Stick with my name? I had never thought of that. A new faction gives you a chance to become someone new; to reinvent yourself. But there's nothing else I could or want to go by.

"Yes." I say firmly.

"Alright," he replies, "But just know we have a thing for nicknames here."

The next person comes flying down and lands roughly on the net. I look over and find Asher, who's still grinning. Does he ever stop?

"How crazy was that?" He says excitedly, gesturing me to his side.

We stand there waiting for the rest of the initiates to jump. When everyone is safely at the bottom, the man-boy from earlier clears his throat and stands in front of us.

"Dauntless-born, go with Lauren," he says, pointing at a woman across the room.

"See ya," Asher says, patting me on the back then running off.

"Transfers, you're with me." He seems to pace a little.

"I'm Four. I'll be one of your instructors. Normally, I work in intelligence."

Four? As in four, 4, the number? A couple people around me exchange looks, but say nothing.

"But during your training, I am one of your instructors."

His voice is deep, and his eyes wander from initiate to initiate, sizing us up.

"Follow me."

We follow Four down a hallway that leads to a stairwell. It's narrow and twisting, and illuminated by a single red light. The only sounds are the clanging of shoes against the cold metal stairs. When we reach the bottom, Four leads us through a cave-like tunnel, which ends at a huge overlook. Below us is a huge area that stretches back. The walls are high and rise up several stories above us to a glass ceiling, with pathways winding up all the way to the top. The floor is crawling with Dauntless, and loud music thumps from every corner.

"This is The Pit," Four yells over the noise.

"What a suiting name," someone says sarcastically from behind me.

We continue on past The Pit and descend another set of stairs into a room underground. It's spacious with a low ceiling. Rows of uncomfortable-looking cots line the floor.

"This is where you'll be staying," Four says, leading us through the cots to the back of the room.

"And this, is where you'll take care of your... sanitary needs."

He gestures to a connecting room, and the first thing I notice is that everything is out in the open: showers, sinks, and toilets.

"Get changed." Four calls over his shoulder as he exits the way we came, leaving us.

xxx

When all of us have changed, we're instructed to meet in the mess hall. Sarah stays close by my side, and Miles tags along. The commotion of the mess hall greets us the moment we walk in the door. Music blares, people hold loud conversations, and the clinking of dishes and silverware can be heard from everywhere.

"Hey, Hayley, over here!"

I look up and see Asher standing in the center of the room, waving his hands madly.

"Come on," I say, grabbing Sarah's hand and dragging her across the noisy mess hall, Miles still following close behind.

"You made it," Asher grins and pulls me into a side hug. "Sit, eat, prepare yourself for Dauntless' delicious feast!"

"Can't be as good as Amity," Sarah smirks. "Our food is all fresh, made right on our land."

"Yeah, okay, so maybe not as delicious as Amity," Asher nudges her as we sit down to a table full of food. "But you're not Amity anymore!"

I grab a hamburger from the tray in front of me and dig in. I didn't realize how hungry I was until now, but it's not surprising considering my meager breakfast and all the craziness of the day since the Choosing Ceremony. The others engage in conversation while I take in the surroundings of the huge mess hall around me. It's easy to spot initiates from Dauntless, but somehow, I feel we'll fit in just fine. It's not until I look up, towards the balcony overlooking the mess hall, that I see him. Eric. He is standing with the rest of leadership, and he is looking directly at me. He catches my eye and swiftly looks away, finding other spots in the room to stare at.

_Strange, _I think to myself, but I'm at ease. Something tells me he isn't as intimidating or cold as he appears.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I can't believe I am holding a gun right now."

Sarah stands next to me and stares at the gun that Four has just placed in her hand. I try to appear calm, but like Sarah, I can't ignore the fact that I have just been given a gun, and I'm about to fire it.

We were awoken to loud bangs from the top of the staircase this morning, and given a short amount of time to dress and eat breakfast. Less than a day here and I already had a pretty good idea of how Dauntless worked.

"Gun training is one of the most important parts of your initiation process. It is one of our main sources of defense in an emergency situation." Four walks over to an area sectioned off with a target several yards away. "Watch closely."

In one swift motion, he falls into a perfect posture- feet apart, arms directly in front of him, aiming the gun. The shot rings out, and a hole appears in the direct middle of the target. He turns to face us and seems slightly amused at the shocked faces, but only for a moment.

"Get to work."

I run over to a target, my mind reeling. A few years ago, my mother's department at Erudite had been put in charge of creating software that simulates a gun. It was to be used for Dauntless-born who had not chosen yet, and were too young to deal with actual guns. One day, she had taken me to her office and let me try. I remember the feeling when my bullet had progressively gotten closer and closer to the red circle in the middle of the target. It had been an exhilarating experience, but nothing close to what I was feeling now. Then again, I had never dreamed of firing an actual gun at that point.

I face the target in front of me and do my best to mimic the exact stance that Four had just held. When I feel confident, I take my first shot. The back-kick, I realize, is something the simulation did not prepare me for. My body jolts in reaction, and as I steady myself I look hesitantly towards my target. A mark appears in the shoulder.

"Hayley!" Miles yells from a few stations down. "Did you just make your first shot?"

"Yeah!" I call back, grinning at the target. "Yeah, I nailed it in the shoulder!"

I go back to the same posture and take several more shots- one hits the stomach of the target, two more in the other shoulder, and one in the chest.

"Not bad," A voice says from behind me. I jump a little and turn to see Four.

"Thanks." I say, adding a small smile. I'm not sure if smiling is really right, especially considering the serious way Four has treated us since he pulled each of us from the net yesterday.

"Keep it up." Is all he says before moving to the next person.

xxx

"No way, you have it all wrong. Every single one of my bullets hit the target!"

Miles yells at Leo, a Candor transfer that we met at gun training today. He's the boy that "accidentally" shoved me on the train ride over here, and I'm still not exactly his biggest fan. He's tall, like Asher, with wavy black hair and dark grey eyes. I'd probably find him handsome if I didn't find his know-it-all Candor attitude so annoying.

"You're kidding yourself," he says now, shouting back at Miles. "I SAW one of your bullets hit the wall behind the target."

They're play fighting, but it's enough to raise eyes and receive questionable looks as we head to our next part of training for the day. Following target practice, we had a lunch break. The rest of the day will be spent doing what Four called "physical combat". My stomach has been one nervous knot since he said that.

We enter a huge room, made entirely of concrete and filled with all the training equipment a Dauntless initiate could dream of. Large orange punching bags hang in rows on one side, and several mats lay across the floor with lights illuminating them overhead. Most of the transfers are already in the room, warming up on various areas of the floor. Four and Eric stand to the side, talking in low voices. They both have hard expressions and don't seem too pleased to be in the same room as each other.

"Alright listen up!" Four silences the room as he approaches us. "As I said earlier, the next thing you'll learn is fighting. This will help prepare you to act quickly in defense when you need it. It's an essential skill if you plan on making it here in Dauntless."

He spends a few moments teaching us basic punches and kicks, then instructs us to begin practicing on punching bags. I choose one furthest away from everyone so I can have some privacy. That, and I'm scared to see what will happen when I throw my first punch. Shooting a gun was easy; it was stationary and only involved aim. This is entirely different, it's using your body and only your body to fight and defend. It's not that I don't think I can do it, I knew what I was getting myself into the moment my blood landed on the sizzling coals of the Dauntless bowl.

When I've mentally prepared myself as much as possible, I pull my fist back and hit the orange bag as hard as I can.

"Ouch!" I yell, grabbing my hand. I hadn't anticipated the bag being so tough. I punch the bag again, then again and again. It still hurts, but this time I have a better feeling of it.

"Your posture is wrong." Someone says from behind me, and I freeze mid-punch. I recognize the voice and feel a wave of nerves wash over me. _What is it with Dauntless leaders sneaking up on people?_

I whirl around and am met face-to-face with Eric, who looms over me by at least 5 inches. His face is set and expressionless, but his eyes seem to almost have a spark of… amusement? in them.

"What am I doing wrong?" I ask, speaking quietly in an attempt to keep my voice from shaking. It doesn't matter though, because each time I exhale, my breathe is shaky. I can't bring myself to meet his eyes, so I look down dejectedly at his chest. Probably not the smartest decision.

"Face the bag again," he commands, moving so he has a clear side view of me and the bag. When I've turned, I look at him again expectantly. I finally find the courage to meet his eyes. There's something striking about them, something that demands attention. They soften his hard face, and I realize his face wouldn't be nearly as hard if he didn't hold the same expression always.

"Hit the bag the same way you just did," he says, folding his arms over his chest. I make a confused face, but return to my attack.

"There," he suddenly grabs my punching arm and I immediately react, hunching slightly and staring at his huge hand on my arm. He furrows his eyebrows at me.

"Stand down, initiate," he says with a scoff. "I'm helping you here."

He moves my arms and back to a position that I can immediately tell will be more effective.

"Now, try again."

I throw a punch and it's strong enough to send the bag back, without causing any pain in my hand.

"Again."

I do it again, and continue until I've given it a good beating.

"Good." Eric says, sounding surprisingly impressed. I grin at the punching bag, feeling a ridiculous amount of triumph for having just defeated an inanimate object.

"Thank you-" I begin to say, but when I turn to face Eric he is already walking away from me.

xxx

The next day of training begins immediately with "physical combat", with Miles and Leo paired up as the first fight. Miles had woken up in a great mood until he saw his name next to Leo's on the board hanging in the training room.

"I'm a foot shorter than the guy!" He had complained to Sarah and I, as we watched him anxiously jab at the air to warm up.

"Oh please, Miles, he's like 4 inches taller than you at best." Sarah snorts. In these past few days, she's opened up to a few of us. I still don't quite know why she chose Dauntless; she's so small and thin and can barely move the punching bag when she hits it. But she's shown a resilient, fighting spirit; whatever fear plagued her the first day has since gone, replaced by excitement and enthusiasm.

"Besides," she continues, picking at a scab on her fist, "He may be tall but it seems like he isn't much of a fighter. He's like…. Unsure of himself."

The doors swing open and Eric strides in, causing a hush to fall over us.

"Nice of you to join us." Four says sarcastically, clenching and unclenching his fist.

"I got caught up in leadership stuff," Eric sneers. "You wouldn't understand."

"But didn't Four get offered a leadership position? And he denied it?" Sarah whispers, leaning in to me.

I nod but don't risk replying. Four and Eric are already on edge. They stare at each other for a moment, while the rest of us stay silent. Suddenly, the ground is extremely interesting to every initiate in the room.

"First fighters. In the ring." Eric finally says, walking away from Four after a final glare.

Miles' eyes bulge and he gives a little salute to Sarah and I as he walks off.

"Wish me luck."

xxx

The fight goes better than expected, even though it ends in a bloody nose for Miles. He steps off the mat and begins awkwardly limping toward us until Eric interrupts him.

"Get to the infirmary initiate. Get that nose cleaned up."

Miles gives us a little wave before continuing his limp toward the door.

"I guess that means it's time for our next fight." Eric says, glancing over a clipboard in his hand. "Leo, you stay in the ring."

Leo smiles to himself, looking overly confident following his victory.

"Next up…" Eric flips a page on his clipboard. "Sarah."

Sarah tenses up next to me. She may have found her fighting spirit, but hasn't yet gained the capacity to take on someone that towers over her. It would be a pointless fight; she would be down in two seconds.

"What?!" I exclaim, before I even realize the word has escaped my mouth. Eric looks up and gives me the most menacing stare I have ever seen in my life. The room is dead silent and I inwardly pinch myself for being stupid enough to question a leader's decision out loud. Eric prepares to open his mouth, no doubt to unleash fury on me, when Four interjects.

"It's six o'clock Eric. Time to break."

Eric doesn't move, keeping his cold stare on me. If looks could kill, I would be a dead corpse on the cement ground right now. I grab the hem of my shirt to conceal my shaking hands. Next to me, Sarah hangs her head and I can tell she is about to burst into tears.

"Fine," Eric finally says. "Go."

The group of initiates rushes out of the room and I begin to follow them until Eric yells at me.

"Not you, initiate."

I stop where I am, a good distance from him in case he tries to, I don't know, kill me. He waits silently until everyone has left, including a straggling Four, then stomps over until his face is inches away from mine.

"What the hell was that, initiate?" He growls.

"I know- I'm-I'm sorry." I manage to stutter, backing away from him.

"You DARE to question your leader, especially in front of your peers?" He makes up for the distance I back up, not allowing me to escape. My heart beats in my chest so loudly that I'm positive they can hear it back in Erudite.

_I'm going to pass out. Passing out right now would be better than this. Much, much better than this._

But I don't pass out; instead, I endure Eric's death glare for minutes, but it feels like an eternity. Finally he steps back, and I can breathe again.

"Get out of my training room." He says, turning and walking away. I rush to the exit without looking back.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey everyone! Chapter 4 is finally complete and up! It took a little while to finish this one after getting back into the swing of the week, but I had SO much fun writing it. I tried to be as creative as possible. It will probably take a few days for Chapter 5, as I have to really decide where I want to take the plot, plus I need to work around my busy schedule. The weekend can't come fast enough! As always, please enjoy and feel free to leave a review! I'm love to hear some feedback! (:**

***One more thing: I know that the pier actually has buildings at the end of it and isn't one big open boardwalk. Here, we're just pretending there's a walkway on the side of the building allowing everyone to walk to the end. ;)**

Chapter 4

_I am standing in the training room, in the center of the floor. The room is dark, and an unsettling feeling is washing over me. I shouldn't be here. I start running for the door, when suddenly it begins morphing until it has disappeared into the wall. Shocked, I turn and run straight for the other- and only- exit. Just before I reach it, the same thing happens. I am now completely trapped in the room, and the little light left is quickly fading. _

"_No!" I shout, desperately looking for another door, an exit, an escape, anything. There is nothing. Suddenly, the last light goes out and I am left alone in the pitch dark, with nothing but the sound of my own breathing._

"_Hayley!" Someone shouts. "Hayley? Hayley!"_

"Hayley! Pssst! Get up!"

Someone is shaking my body.

I groggily open my eyes to see Sarah standing above me. Her face is scrunched up and she has me by the shoulders.

"What? What is it?" I whine, turning my body to the side in an attempt to free myself from her little yet mighty hands.

I'm a bit in shock from my dream- or nightmare. I've always had a fear of being trapped; of having no way out. I assumed it stemmed from my fear of being trapped in Erudite forever. But I made it out, so the fear isn't rational anymore.

_Does it have something to do with the incident from yesterday?_

"They're waking all of us up for something. I didn't want you to get in trouble!" She scampers to the end of my cot and grabs the clothes that I threw there before I went to bed, too tired to put them neatly back where they belong.

"Who? What are you talking about?" I sit up just enough to watch her as she plunks down on her own cot to put her shoes on.

"Leadership," she responds, gesturing to the stairwell. "I think we're going somewhere?"

I follow her point to the stairs, where a Dauntless woman with bright red streaks in her hair that I've never seen before is standing.

"Get up and dressed!" She yells so that everyone can hear her. "Meet your leaders at the train in five minutes."

"What are we doing?" Miles asks as he makes the bedding on his cot. I snort. The Erudite may be mainly known for their smarts, but we're also known for our overly excessive cleanliness.

The Dauntless leader gives him a quick glance then turns to leave, adding,

"Going on a little field trip."

xxx

Jumping on a moving train for the first time following the Choosing Ceremony was difficult. Jumping on a moving train when you are woken up from your sleep in the middle of the night is an entirely different story. I managed to make it, with a little boost from Leo who had jumped on the train after me. Maybe he was trying to be nice, but more than likely, he wanted to touch my butt.

The train car is full of transfer initiates, some look excited and full of energy, others are struggling to keep one eye open. A girl next to me leans in to ask a boy what we're doing.

"War games, I think." He replies. I relay the information to my group.

"Makes sense," Miles says, nodding his head. "Wake us up in the middle of the night to take the train to God knows where for some fun games. Real courageous stuff."

"I think it's exhilarating," Sarah pipes up, leaning her head against the wall. "We never did anything like this in Amity."

"Yeah, because you people would consider it rude to wake someone up in their sleep!" Miles says, earning a punch on the arm from Sarah.

I have been resting against the wall of the train car since we jumped on. I'm completely mystified at everyone who has this much energy in the middle of the night.

The group of initiates part as Four and Eric emerge from the front, throwing several bags down on the floor. We form a circle around them as Eric produces what appears to be some sort of gun from one of the bags, but different looking from the ones we use at target practice- almost more like a toy gun.

"Time for a little fun." Four says, motioning at the gun-thing that Eric is now holding up for everyone to see.

"What is it?" A tall kid across from me asks. Eric whips around and shoots the boy in the arm, who crashes into the kid behind him, yelling out in pain. Four bends over and yanks the dart-like object from his arm, handing it to Eric.

"Neuro-sim darts." Eric says, glancing at the boy who is grasping his arm. "They simulate the pain of an actual gunshot wound. Hurts like a bitch. It only lasts a few minutes."

He swings around again to face Four, and everyone backs up from the object.

"We'll split into two teams, Eric and I being the captains." Four explains, now grabbing a gun of his own. "Eric, why don't you pick first."

"Thanks bud." Eric responds sarcastically, then immediately points to the best fighter in our group. "James."

"I'll take Leo." Four says. Leo strides confidently to Four's side, earning rolled eyes from the rest of us.

Eric and Four both pick strong people again, and I start biting my nail nervously. I'll be one of the last picked.

"Hayley." I hear Eric's voice but I don't register. I look up at him with bulging eyes, unsure if he really just picked me. Next to me, Sarah clears her throat and nudges me forward. I trip a bit, then carefully join Eric's side. Neither of us looks at each other. The two continue picking people until everyone is assigned a team. My heart hasn't stopped racing since the moment Eric called my name. It was only hours ago that he wanted to rip my throat out for questing a leadership decision. Why all of a sudden was he picking me to be a part of his team? Was this a sort of punishment; was he planning on doing something to me to teach me a lesson?

Four chose Sarah, but luckily I have Miles on my team. After a short time Eric instructs all of us to follow him, and we jump off the train onto a huge wooden boardwalk, leaving Four and his team behind to jump off at another point.

"Alright, listen up." Eric motions us to join him and we form a tight circle.

"The rules are simple. It's just like capture the flag."

Excited gasps and shouts erupt from the group. Eric produces a flag made out of a fabric I've never seen before- it's a neon green, and glowing in the dark. I would bet that someone in Erudite invented it.

"Both teams hide their flag- Four's flag is orange, by the way," Eric continues. "Both teams hide it, and both teams try to capture the other's. Whoever obtains it first is the winner. You have the guns at your disposal, but you're allowed to use other… methods."

Someone in the group cracks their knuckles, causing another cheer to rise. Eric looks slightly amused.

"Alright, we split the group into two: offense and defense. Offense will be in charge of capturing Four's team's flag. Defense, you're in charge of hiding and protecting the flag."

He walks through the middle of us, causing a part between everyone.

"You're offense." He says, pointing at the group across from me. "Meaning, you're defense." He says, now pointing at my group. He motions for the offense group to leave, but not before warning, "Oh, and one last thing. My teams don't lose." His voice is now low and serious. I have to contain my laughter; after all, this is just a game right?

Miles is part of the offense, and I give a little wave as he runs off with the rest.

"Does that mean you're staying with us?" A short girl next to me asks.

"Obviously." Eric smirks, leading us down the pier.

We pass odd buildings unlike anything I've seen before, but I know from people's descriptions that decades ago, before the war, this was a place people came for enjoyment and entertainment. They rode rides, played games at booths and ate incredibly unhealthy food.

Eric continues to stride in front of us, but eventually addresses us over his shoulder.

"Anyone got an idea as to where to hide this thing?" He asks, giving the flag a little wave.

"In a booth?" Someone suggests, motioning to the rows of game and food booths we're passing.

"Too easy." Eric dismisses it with a wave of his hand.

"What about the end of the pier?" Another boy suggests.

Eric now stops and turns to look at her, a disgusted look on his face.

"Why the hell the end of the pier?" He scoffs.

"Um… well… because it's a long distance down there?" The timid boy stutters out. I inwardly roll my eyes at Eric and the way he treats his students, just because he knows he can. I've witnessed it many times. I've been victim of it.

"Also, we can all hide in the booths and rides and… what not. As defense! Ya know? So as they go down the pier to retrieve the flag, we ambush them! They won't see it coming."

Eric pauses a moment, and I can tell from the way he taps his foot and bites his lip that he's actually considering it. Everyone holds their breath and waits for his response.

"Alright," He finally says. "Not a bad idea."

He turns to continue leading us down the pier, but I hear him mumble.

"Boring as hell place to hide it, though."

When we reach the end of the pier, Eric sends two people to put the flag in a visible, yet crafty place. He then starts dispersing people to places to hide and wait for Four's team.

"James, over there." He gestures to a cotton candy booth.

"Anna, stand behind there."

He continues assigning people until I realize that he hasn't sent me anywhere, or even acknowledged me since the moment we jumped off the train.

_This is it. He has me alone and he's going to kill me. Or paralyze me. Or throw me over the pier._

When he's sent the last person to their station, he turns and faces me for the first time. The moonlight casts half of this face in shadows, and causes the piercing above his eyebrow to catch and reflect the smallest amount of light. His huge arms are hidden by his jacket, so at least those don't intimidate me, but the blank stare that I've grown accustomed to still sets me on edge.

"Come with me." He says simply, then turns and walks back to the place where our flag was hidden. He finds a stall that allows us to hide, but have a great view of the pier and anyone who might come down it.

I stand a safe distance from him, trying to keep my head from exploding. Why am I here with him? Why hasn't he punched me out yet? Why couldn't I just have been assigned a place to wait alone? Or better yet, sent with the offense to find our opponent's flag. The thought of Sarah and I encountering each other and shooting darts that simulate the pain of a gun shot through a body is laughable. I would rather be anywhere than with one of my leaders that I disrespected hours ago.

Eric stares out at the pier for a bit, then returns behind the wall of the stall. He cleans a spot on his gun for a moment and I stare at him, afraid to move or say anything.

Finally, he looks up at me and I feel the same familiar rush of nerves fall over me.

"So. You transferred from Erudite?" He asks.

"Yes." I respond, forcing myself to look at him.

What kind of question is that? He saw me in my Erudite clothing the first day of initiation.

He considers this for a moment, crossing his arms and leaning his side against the wall but never breaking his gaze from me. He's studying my face, and I feel uncomfortable. So uncomfortable. Any time anyone considers my looks and appearance for a long amount of time, I'm put on edge. But especially him…

"Why'd you choose Dauntless?" He questions, still not moving from his position.

"I… uh…" It's something that I've been turning over in my mind since the moment I chose Dauntless. It was never something I really considered before Choosing Day, even though most spend years upon years trying to make their final decision. But nothing was ever simply black and white for me. I knew I couldn't stay in Erudite. I had to escape my family. Sure, I'm smart; actually, really smart. I process information quickly and I can solve things faster than most Erudite my age. I read at levels high above my classmates and I soaked up every bit of information I could. But that was for the time that I was there. In didn't plan on making that my life's work. Abnegation and Amity were automatically out; props to the people that live those kind of lifestyles, but I would rather be Factionless than never get to look in a mirror, or always be forced to be kind to everyone. I considered Candor, but for a very short amount of time. After meeting several and knowing them for a while, I quickly realized I couldn't deal with constant honesty. Sometimes, a little white lie is easier than the truth.

Which left me with Dauntless. I had always yearned for adventure. When I walked through the city as a child and witnessed Dauntless flinging themselves on and off moving trains, or climbing gigantic buildings, I would go home and reenact everything in my room. I'd play in my house, wearing the occasional black t-shirt or pants that I could find, pretending to be a fearless Dauntless. But it was always just make-believe. I never dreamed I would cut my palm and drop my blood into Dauntless. But I've been rethinking the weeks, then days, then minutes spent leading up to the Choosing Ceremony when I had no idea what faction to pick; turning every moment over and over again in my mind. I think on some subconscious level, I always knew I would choose Dauntless.

But that isn't exactly what you can tell your leader.

"I wanted excitement." I say finally, then immediately regret it the moment Eric raises his eyebrows and gives me a disapproving look.

"You wanted excitement?" He repeats, seemingly disgusted at what I've just said.

"No!" I reply. "Well, yes. But not just excitement. I wanted courage. I wanted to see how courageous I was and I wanted to use that to start a new life for myself. I want to be brave… and I want to protect the people."

_Good enough. Hopefully._

Eric chews the inside of his lip while he takes in what I've just said.

"So basically," He starts, "Your main reason for choosing Dauntless was selfish reasons. Because you wanted an exciting life."

I suddenly feel an overwhelming urge to smack the smug look on his face off.

"Okay, yes, that's part of it." I retaliate, feeling my cheeks turning red. "But you can't blame me for that! Everyone in Dauntless has a part of them that lives for excitement. I'm here for the other stuff, too!"

"But are you really?" Eric replies, and I can tell he's trying to get a rise out of me. "I wouldn't want to waste my time training initiates who aren't here for the right reasons-"

"But I AM here for the right-" I start to say.

"-Because I know a great group of Factionless that would LOVE to have someone as indecisive as you join them." Eric responds, starting to raise my voice.

"WHEN in the ANY part of that did I say I was INDECISIVE?!" I counter.

"We wouldn't want anyone here that doesn't me or the RULES that are put in place-"

We're now in a full out yelling match, shouting over each other. Forgotten is the game and our surroundings, I'm in a fit of rage after being insulted and accused of things that couldn't be further from the truth. When I feel like I can't take a second more of screaming, in the moment when I want nothing more than to take the stupid toy-gun and shoot the stupid neuro-sim dart in his stupid face, I say the one thing I know will shut him up.

"I RESPECT YOU."

He stops mid-sentence and looks surprised, his eyes widening ever so slightly at my outburst. That lasts a moment, and then he looks… Satisfied? Impressed?

I realize that, in the midst of our fight, he's taken several steps towards me, lessening the space between us. He's now only inches away from me, and I can feel his breath on my face.

We stand there for a moment, locked in a death stare. I don't know what to say; I'm not sure I should say anything at all.

Eric opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by Miles and several others running around the side of the stall. They are waving a bright orange flag.

"We got it! We won! Take that Four!" One of them cheers.

Eric strides over to meet them and I stomp away, rolling my eyes. I need to find Sarah. But can I tell her about what happened?

No. I need to keep this to myself. I need- I HAVE- to keep all of it a secret. Besides, I wouldn't want to waste my breath taking about my jerk of a leader that insults or attacks me any chance he gets. I angrily walk down the pier, not looking back at anyone.


End file.
